“How’s Major Remm?”
“They closed the gash in his temple and he had a Hades of a headache, but the medic says he’ll be fine.”
“Good news.”
Varen grunted his response and went silent. Dek took her cue that he wasn’t in a talkative mood. She doubted any of the security team were sure of her status at this point and wanted to avoid lengthy conversations.
They passed the mess hall and descended the incline to the rise of lava rock that sheltered the lifts. Once there, Varen swiped his passcard to open the unit and she stepped in.
When the lift reopened again on the scene in Lower Cave, Dek hesitated a moment to take it in.
Commander Tapp was present, as were several of the senior security team and a scattering of scientists busy working on various tasks. At some distance from all the commotion, she spied Sno. He wore an intense expression as he stood talking with a tall, intimidating man. Her pulse picked up a beat at the sight of him, but she put a lid on it when she recognized his companion.
The man Sno was speaking to was none other than General X himself. Cassie romped around their feet, her tail flicking with nervous excitement.
Was Sno just now briefing him about the Juggernaut? Or had he already clued in the general about the enigma in the three days that had passed?
Cassie stopped in her tracks when she spied Dek and sent up a happy trill. Sno peered her way, but his expression stayed neutral. Her heartbeat stalled as fast as it had quickened.
Then Sno gestured her to join them.
General X turned as she approached, and his deep voice resonated across the chamber. “Lieutenant Commander Dekessa Garr.”
“General,” she acknowledged then addressed Sno in a steady voice that didn’t betray her inner turmoil. “Agent Telon.”
“Lieutenant Commander,” Sno responded quietly, but he seemed perplexed. “This is Dr. K. My Network superior.”
Dek angled her head. “That’s not right.”
General X edged closer and lowered his voice. “Let me clear up the confusion. I am General X. I’m also Dr. K. Depending on who’s reporting to me…” He gave them both a wry look. “And the capacity I’m currently serving.”
He paused a moment to let her and Sno take that in.
“You’re serving the Network in a dual role?” Dek queried.
“With alternate code names?” Sno added.
“Exactly.” He paused, before adding, “It’s best the enemy is kept in the dark about the command structure and our roles. These are dangerous times.”
Sno’s gaze cut her way, and for just a moment, Dek caught a subtle softening in the hard lines of his face.
“Your StatReps have been very thorough, Lieutenant Commander.” The man angled his head to Sno. “As have your FieldReps.”
Dek cocked her head. “You’ve been receiving conflicting intel reports from both Agent Telon and myself?”
“Not at all conflicting. Updates from opposite sides of an exercise. The experiment’s been quite enlightening.” The man nodded to her. “Agent Telon isn’t on a mission. This was a final field trial of our new prototype when engaged with a partner agent.”
So he’d told her the truth.
Dek wet her lips. “And you were testing your prototype at one of the most secure sites in the galaxy.”
“You are straightforward, aren’t you, Lieutenant Commander?” The almost-smile playing on the general’s mouth softened his pointed words. “You have it right. We ran the exercise at a top-secret location also under the Network umbrella, and most importantly, not subject to detection by the Alliance. Or so we all thought. Fortunately, the potential breach has been contained, thanks to the two of you.” He cast a glance at the StarDog scampering about their feet. “Rather, the three of you.
“Agent Telon’s task was to discover the secret your team was assigned to protect. Your mission was to keep the site secure and that secret safe. Dueling objectives in a friendly environment.” He paused a moment to give each of them a long look. “Both of your performances were exemplary. And when these…complications ensued, the two of you teamed up to root out a true threat. That showed initiative. Thinking on your feet. It’s a Point of Honor, and you both should be decorated.” The man heaved a deep sigh and parked a hand on one hip. “You won’t be, of course. This entire incident will be kept under wraps. We can’t risk tipping off the Alliance that their spy was compromised.”
Dek hazarded a glance at Sno, but he wasn’t looking her way.
“So you’ve confirmed Sergeant Garr is an Alliance spy?” she asked.
“There’s no question.”
“May I ask what will happen to him, sir?”
“Oh, he’ll still be making his full report to the Alliance. But I assure you those findings won’t interest our enemies in the least. They care nothing about a team studying the dynamics of magma flow in an ancient lava tube.”
Dek dropped her gaze. She could read between the lines. Garr’s final report to the Alliance wouldn’t expose the secrets of Sarcassius Site D, and she’d served the Network long enough to understand the consequences of disloyalty.
Garr had set out to betray not only the Network but his home planet of LaGuardia. Her home planet. Had he succeeded, she had no doubt the Alliance would’ve crushed one of the last remaining strongholds of the free galaxy, its leaders most probably sharing the fate of the royal family of Purmia. Site D would’ve been annihilated, its discoveries forever erased, and the Network itself placed in extreme jeopardy—along with all their covert long-range plans against the Alliance.
Garr had turned his back on everything he’d sworn allegiance to protect.
Greed had no doubt played a part in the man’s defection, but he’d been naïve to think any payment by the Alliance would come without an eventual price. The Alliance rewarded traitors well…until they’d served their purpose. Her ‘cuz’ had sealed his own fate—one way or another—by the selfish choices he’d made.
Cassie’s loud chippering invaded her thoughts. Dek caught sight of the StarDog creeping close to the Juggernaut, her body low to the ground and her ears pinned back.
Sno physically reeled and caught Dek’s shoulder. “It’s talking to her.”
The blood drained from Dek’s face. “Holy Fire Lords.”
“What’s happening, Agent?” General X asked.
“Sir, you need to clear the site,” Dek explained. “We have something important to show you, but it’s for your eyes alone.”
“What’s this all about?”
Dek gestured to Cassie. “The StarDog has found something, General. Something…”
“Unprecedented,” Sno finished.
Cassie was dashing in zigzags in front of the formation, chattering in excitement. The members of the science and security teams had all stopped what they were doing to watch. A few chuckled at her antics.
The Doctor-General studied the StarDog’s erratic behavior then reached up to tap a device behind his ear.
“I can hear what she’s saying.” The man’s eyes glinted, and his voice dropped to a bone-chilling bass. “What in Sixth Hell is a juggle knot moth-thinker?”